Life Under the Stars
by Grimmster Girl
Summary: A collection of primarily Captain Swan and Charming family one-shots. All entries will be fun, fluffy, and completely canon. Send me a prompt, message, or story idea, and I will gladly write a chapter for you! Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. Update: Chapter Nine: 5x21- Emma and Killian reunite
1. All I Want for Christmas is You

All I want for Christmas is you (Merry Christmas baby)

A/N: send me any prompt, or story idea, and I'll write a story/one-shot for you in the next few days! Send me a message or write me a review, I love hearing from all of you!

* * *

If Snow or Charming had seen what Emma had planned, they would have called it extremely weird for a 31 year-old who was the 'savior'. Little did they know that it would be their favorite Christmas present they would ever receive.

It was just days before Christmas when Emma showed up at the loft around 6 o'clock, offering to babysit her baby brother so her parents could go out to escape some of the Christmas stress, or go last minute shopping or whatever.

"Oh, that would be wonderful Emma," Mary-Margaret responded, handing the 9-month old over to the anxious blonde. "We need to finish planning the Christmas party at Granny's."

David half-smiled, raising both his eyebrows, and pretending to be thrilled that this was how he was spending his Friday night. Emma chuckled, and smiled at the small brown-haired boy she held in her arms who looked exactly like his mother. He moved his arms lazily, before deciding on laying them around his sister's neck, in a sort of hug. Emma hugged him tightly.

"Okay, go have fun planning the party," Emma said to her parents as they began to put their coats on and headed towards the door.

"His food is in the fridge, and you can put him to bed around 8, we'll be home in a few hours." Mary-Margaret replied, as she slipped her boots on.

"Be good, you too," David responded.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Emma called. She was so giddy with excitement for her newest project she could hardly stand it. "Love you guys,"

"Love you Emma, love you Neal,"

"Love you both,"

The door shut behind them, and Emma looked down at her baby brother, "Do you want to do something fun Neal?" she asked, her eyes wide with pure, child-like delight.

Neal smiled up at her, clapping his hands and making some sort of "gahhrahhagggahhh" noise. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Emma opened up her newest discovery, an app that allowed you to make a personal music video to any song. It was an exhilarating find, and she couldn't wait to make the video as a present for her parents.

She had the song picked out and everything, "All I want for Christmas is You", the Mariah Carrey version of course. Playing the song, Neal's eyes lit up with an excitement that matched his sister's.

"Are you ready to do this buddy?" Neal clapped his hands together once more, and they began the making of the most ultimate Christmas gift.

She filmed just about everything, from scenes of the two of them dancing and singing, to them smiling by the Christmas tree, to the two of them wearing Christmas hats or antlers. Every time the "All I want for Christmas is you, baby" line came up, Emma would hold Neal high in the air, and then bring him down to rest his forehead against hers, and he would squeal with joy.

They had so much fun, and for the first time Emma truly felt like a big sister, and it felt great.

They finished the video in about an hour, and Emma fed her brother, and put him to bed.

Her parents came home around 8:30 to find an exhausted Neal sound asleep in his crib, and Emma asleep on the couch next to him (all that dancing takes a lot of energy).

They smiled at their son, and daughter, and knew that family can't possibly get any better than this.

They were finally all together as a family.

When Christmas day came, the ENTIRE family met at the loft to exchange gifts before the party at Granny's.

When it came time for Emma and Neal to give their parents their gift, Emma projected the video on the TV screen in front of them.

David and Mary-Margaret were surprised with the present to say the least.

David laughed throughout its entirety, and Mary-Margaret had to blot her tears of happiness, and joy throughout the whole video.

When it finished, Neal, along with the rest of the family clapped their hands, for a job well done on Emma and Neal's part.

The grins plastered across the faces, the tears running down her mom's eyes, and the joy on her baby brother's face was enough to do her in.

She hugged each family member extra tight, trying to hold back her own tears.

The love that she felt in the room at that moment was unlike anything she had ever felt or had hoped to feel before.

She finally had a family, and love, and everything was perfect.


	2. Cookie Cravings

Cookie cravings

A/N: Lilstep sent me a prompt: the first curse never hits, and the the Charmings are back in the Enchanted Forest with a 5 y/o Emma who's craving Christmas cookies. I added my own twist to it! Thanks for sending in a prompt love! Remember to message me, or write a review if there's a specific story you'd like to see written!

Chapter tags: Charming family

* * *

"Shhhh," Emma whispered, holding her finger to her lips. "We have to be very quiet, Fluffy," she told the brown teddy bear sitting on her bed.

It was 11:30pm on Christmas night, and Emma was supposed to be in bed fast asleep. But how are you supposed to sleep when there are chocolate chip cookies right downstairs just waiting to be eaten?

"We need to be very quiet, okay?" Emma picked up her favorite teddy bear and began tiptoeing down the stairs of the huge castle. She made it halfway down when she heard something and froze instantly in place.

"Princess Emma?"

She turned slowly to face Diana, the older lady who worked in the castle who she just adored.

"Yes?" Emma responded tentatively.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed? It's 11:30 already,"

The young girl scrunched her face, looking around, trying to find some excuse for why she was up so late. "Um, well, you see," she paused, allowing a look of defeat to spread across her features, "I was hungry," Emma whined, "And there's Christmas cookies right downstairs. And I couldn't sleep knowing that the cookies were so sad because no one had eaten them, because they had chosen to eat their friends instead. And don't the cookies all deserve to be happy?"

Diana gave a quick laugh.

"Please don't tell mommy or daddy! I'll be real quick, okay?"

"Okay Princess, just promise me that you'll be in bed by 12pm, or I'll have no choice but to tell the queen,"

"Oh, thank you so much!" Emma replied, hugging the older lady around her waist. She ran downstairs as quietly and as quickly as her small legs could move.

Tiptoeing around the corner, she saw her target in site. The cookie jar was right there, sitting on the kitchen counter, just about twenty-five feet away.

Hugging her teddy bear tight she moved forward, but then she saw something else! Her parents were right there standing next to the oven, kissing! Emma gasped, making a small noise as covered her eyes.

She tried to run back to her room, but this time her footsteps were too loud and her parents heard her.

"Emma, honey?" Snow called from the kitchen.

She froze immediately in the middle of the hallway, knowing that she was caught and that there was no escaping her mom and dad.

Snow came around the corner where Emma had stopped.

"I'm sorry Mommy! I was hungry and I knew that there were cookies down here and I felt bad for them because all their friends were eaten, and they were left all alone. And nobody chose them so I wanted them to feel loved, because everyone and everything deserves to feel loved right?"

Snow smiled at her daughter as Charming came around the corner. "Of course sweetheart, that's very kind of you,"

"What do you say we have some milk and cookies as long as you're still up?" Charming added.

"Really?" Emma asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"Why not? It's still Christmas after all!" Emma hugged both her parents and ran back into the kitchen taking out the jar of cookies, along with the milk from the refrigerator. Snow helped her pour three glasses of milk, and they all sat at the kitchen table, eating cookies, and talking, and laughing.

* * *

Emma woke up from her dream around 3am with a smile spread across her lips. It was Christmas eve, and she was so excited to have her first real Christmas with her mom, her dad, her son, and her true love. It was the first time they'd be celebrating Christmas as a family, the first time there was no Wicked Witch, no crazy man-boy, no snow monster, or villain trying to kill them, and Emma couldn't wait.

She stood up from her bed and walked quietly to her parents' room.

"Mom, Dad?" she whispered, gently tapping her mom's shoulder.

"Emma?" her mom responded, rolling over to face her daughter. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is perfect," she whispered.

"Emma, what are you doing up?" her dad asked, squinting at the alarm clock next to his bed. "It's three in the morning,"

"I'm sorry I just had a really good dream and I was going to go downstairs to eat some cookies and get some milk, and I was wondering if you guys wanted to join me," Emma replied.

"I would love to," Mary-Margaret responded, smiling up at her daughter.

"Well, I'll never say no to milk and cookies," David answered, jumping out of the bed, and throwing on a sweatshirt.

* * *

Maybe Emma never got to experience a childhood with her parents in the Enchanted Forest, maybe she grew up as an orphan, but it was never too late to experience these great times with her family now.

She figured everything happened for a reason anyways, sure she was separated from her family for twenty-eight years, but if things were different Henry would never have been born, and she would probably wouldn't have met her true love.

She had her family here and now, and all Emma wanted was to spend every moment she could with the people she loved.

So she sat at the kitchen table with her parents at three in the morning, eating cookies, drinking milk, talking, and laughing, and Emma couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.

* * *

A/N: Okay, this story was so much fun to write! I have a head canon where Emma has dreams of what her life would have been if she grew up in the Enchanted Forest, and she wants to live these memories with her parents now. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! Please review, and send me messages with prompts or ideas! The next chapter will be Captain Swan!


	3. Finding Warmth

Finding Warmth

A/N: In honor of my favorite episode, 4x02, I decided to write this. It's a long Captain Swan chapter to thank you for sticking with my stories so far! Remember to review, and send me prompts! Thanks!

Chapter Tags: Captain Swan, 4x02, fluff, Hurt/Comfort

* * *

"Emma? Emma!" Elsa shook her hard, trying to gain a response from the almost unconscious woman. "Emma, oh please answer me!" She demanded, placing the warm back of her hand against her freezing cheek.

"Let's go inside and make some hot chocolate," Emma mumbled, attempting to turn over on her side so she could get up.

"Woah, no, no, no," Elsa replied, pushing her back down to the ground. "You need to stay right here."

"My feet feel like there's little people walking on them," Emma chuckled.

"Emma, you're freezing to death."

"I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to take a short nap, okay?" She responded, her eyes closing. Her voice sounded tired, and it drifted off near the ends of her sentences. She lifted her knees as close to her chest as she could, trying to contain what heat she had left.

"No, no! You need to stay awake, you need to stay with me," Elsa demanded, taking hold one of Emma's hands in both of hers.

"You're just saying that because you know that if I go to sleep I won't be able to wake up."

"No, Emma! You're not going anywhere, okay? Just focus on my voice, keep your eyes open and focus on me, okay?" Elsa shouted, her voice becoming more panicked with every word.

"It's okay," she said in a small voice. "Just promise me one thing," Elsa leaned in, placing her ear close to Emma's ear. She held Emma's hand close to her heart. "That you'll tell my family that I love them, especially my boy, Henry. And tell my parents that the time I spent with them was the best two-and-a-half years of my life. And Killian- tell him that I love him too, that I really love him, and that he's a hero, my hero," she said, her voice trailing off to a barely audible tone. Her eyes closed one last time; Elsa felt for a pulse that was barely there.

"Tell them yourself!" She yelled, standing up to grab the walkie-talkie. "David! It's Emma! She's-she's passed out. Her pulse is slowing down, I don't know how much longer she's got, you need to get down here now!"

Emma felt a warm hand touch her cheek, hands shaking her shoulders, fingers against her neck, and then blackness. The pain, the numbness, the cold, everything was gone. She felt nothing.

* * *

"You can do this, Elsa,"

"I-I don't think I can,"

"Elsa, you can do this. I know how you feel- you're trapped in a battle you can't win, but it's exactly the kind of battle you have to fight, or you'll die.

"I won't, I'll survive, but Emma. I want to save her, I really do,"

"Survival isn't enough. You have to live."

"Where did you hear that?"

"You know where."

"Anna? You knew her?"

"Yeah, I did. We think we might have a way to find her. And if there's one thing you should know about this family, it's that we always find each other, and we never give up. You can choose to stay in here, and live the rest of your life alone, or you can choose to believe in yourself. Please, Elsa, do it for your sister, do it for Emma and the people who love her, and do it for yourself,"

Emma heard her father's voice, heard the panic, heard the love in his voice, and she opened her eyes. And in some miracle, in some magic she pushed herself into a sitting position, and she watched.

She watched as Elsa held up both her hands, her face scrunched together in a look of pure determination. She watched as Elsa's magic spun from her fingers, creating a large hole in the wall, and she saw her father and Killian stumble backwards slightly when the cold air rushed towards them. She watched as their faces changed from plain fear to a mixture of relief, love, and anxiety.

And then there was a hand on her back, and a hand on her arm, helping her up, guiding her towards safety.

And then more hands, pulling her out by under her shoulders, guiding her back, assisting her in escaping the cold.

And that's when she collapsed into his arms, sighing a breath of relief. She felt his warm, quick breath against the skin on her neck, breathing life back into her.

"Emma, love, are you okay?" He asked in a gruff, worried voice.

She nodded into his shoulder, tightening her grip around his neck.

And then her legs gave out, the adrenaline that helped her escape death had run out, and she began to feel the cold numbness coursing through her veins again.

A warm hand picking her up from under her knees, another guiding her exposed back, and then the weight was gone. Emma buried her head into his chest holding on as tight as she could, for the fear that if she let go he'd be gone.

He started moving towards the car, opening the backseat door, to help her in.

"Love, let go for just a second so I can help you in,"

Emma remained still.

"I'm not going anywhere," he responded as if he was reading her thoughts, "but you have to let go so we can get you home and warmed up,"

She tentatively released her grip, allowing him to guide her in the car. He slid into the seat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

And that's when the shivering started. A wave of uncontrollable trembling came over her, and she lethargically pulled her knees towards her chest, hugging them tightly.

Killian pulled her as close as he could into his body, rubbing her arms and back.

David came to the car with Elsa, immediately sliding his jacket of and handing it to the pirate. He took the coat, and wrapped it around Emma.

"The little people came," Emma mumbled when they began driving towards home. "They were walking on my feet,"

Killian looked down at his princess, pressing his warm cheek against hers.

"What, love?" He questioned.

"They're here again, dancing on my feet and my legs, and my hands," she gave a small smile.

"It's the numbness she's feeling from the cold," David explained from the front seat, "and the hypothermia, it can cause confusion or slurred speech. She'll start to make sense once we get her warmed up,"

"Oh," Killian responded, picking up one of her frozen hands and holding it to his lips, breathing hot air onto her fingers.

"That tickles," Emma laughed.

Killian couldn't help but smile, and feel a real relief flood his features. He took her other hand into his and kissed it lightly, showering it with hot air and heat.

* * *

"I can walk," Emma whined as Killian picked her back up out of the car when they arrived at the loft.

"No," he responded quickly, "You're freezing and half numb, and I'm not taking any chances."

"Fine."

He carried her inside the loft where Henry was waiting, after receiving a call from his grandpa, with a chair and a blanket set up for his mom.

Killian set her down in the chair, and Emma curled up, tucking her foot underneath her leg to gain heat. He wrapped the warm blanket around her shoulders, and draped the other one across her lap.

He knelt down beside her, rubbing circles on her shoulder and back. Emma leaned her head against the soft leather covering his chest, and closed her eyes.

Killian brushed his lips against her forehead, and remained still, the warm air escaping his mouth and thawing her features.

Every family member came by, offering her hot chocolate, or another blanket, or something of the sort, but it all felt like a blur to the pair.

Emma apologized to Henry for not being able to do anything for him earlier that morning, and he brought her hot cocoa with cinnamon. David brought her more blankets, and Elsa couldn't stop apologizing for what happened.

When Mary-Margaret came home she was extremely angry at her husband for not calling her and letting her know what happened, but she forgave him quickly after hugging her daughter so tight, and mumbling something about having to be thankful for each and every day with the people you love because you never know when you won't get a second chance.

David explained to Elsa how he knew Anna, and showed her his device that he hoped would help them find her.

And then everything began to die down. Henry went to bed in his room, and David showed Elsa to the guest room to stay for the night. Mary-Margaret put Neal to bed, and then quickly fell asleep herself, saying something about having an exhausting day, and then laughing at herself and mumbling something about how her day couldn't have even compared to her daughter's, or her husband's.

So Killian helped Emma onto the couch, laying down on the end next to her. She curled up until she was practically on top of him, her head against his chest. He covered her in a blanket, and began playing with her golden hair.

"You're my hero," she whispered, barely audible. "That's what I wanted to tell you, when I was trapped in the ice cave,"

Killian smiled down at Emma. "And you're mine," he whispered back.

"Please, don't go," she mumbled.

"I wouldn't dream of it, love," Emma closed her eyes, a content smile playing on her lips.

* * *

David came back a few minutes later once Elsa was settled in, and the rest of the family was asleep.

"Why don't you take her to bed," he whispered, being careful not to wake his daughter up.

Killian looked up, surprised. "Okay, mate," he carefully slipped out from under Emma, trying not to wake her from her slumber. He slipped one hand under her knees and placed his other arm on her back, picking her up.

He started walking towards Emma's room when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Thanks for sticking with me today," David whispered. "You're a good guy, Hook."

Killian smiled and gave a small nod before carrying the sleeping woman off to her room.

Emma stirred slightly in sleep, "Is it time for bed?" She asked quietly, her eyes remaining closed.

"Yes, my love," he responded, setting her down on the mattress. He carefully unzipped her boots and slid them off her feet.

He moved to the top side of the bed, and began working on getting her leather jacket off.

"Lift your arm through here, love," he said quietly, and she obeyed, lazily lifting up her arms to slide off her jacket. He brought the blankets up to cover her body.

She patted the spot on the bed next to her, "Come lay right here with me."

"Are you sure, Swan?"

"Positive," she replied, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Killian slid of his boots and jacket and got into the bed beside her.

Emma began shifting under the covers.

"What are you doing, Swan?" He asked, laughter in his own voice.

"These jeans, they're extremely uncomfortable," she answered, struggling to get her pants off. "Care to help?" She asked in a lazy voice.

Killian reached his hand under the sheet, helping her tug off the uncomfortable fabric.

"Much better," Emma replied, when she was left with only her white long sleeve shirt, and black underwear.

Killian laid down again against the pillow, and Emma curled up against him, pressing her legs in between his and saying, "Warm me up, Captain,"

He laughed, circling his arm around her waist, rubbing his hand against the cold skin of her stomach.

He kissed her forehead, "Goodnight love, sleep well,"

And she did.

They both did.


	4. Jealous

Jealous

A/N: thank you so much for the reviews, and prompt, vale Fuentes. I hope you enjoy! As always, please review, and send me prompts!

Summary: Emma and Killian go on a date after their return from the Underworld, and let's just say Killian gets a little jealous. (I couldn't resist incorporating a little Nick Jonas flair into it, so enjoy!)

Story tags: humor, romance, Captain Swan

* * *

Okay so maybe it wasn't the best idea to branch out from the typical restaurants in town (a.k.a. Granny's). Okay, so maybe she shouldn't have worn that mint colored dress, the one that was just dark enough to match her eyes, and just short enough to draw attention from many wandering eyes. And maybe she shouldn't have curled her hair, just enough to get golden waves that fell perfectly down her back. And maybe, just maybe, choosing to go to what was considered a nice restaurant in Storybrooke (which turned out to be the hot spot for all the sleazy fairytale men looking for one-night stand) on a Friday night past 8pm wasn't the best move. And fine, she'll admit after this one that maybe he should be the one to plan the dates, not her.

But she was excited. It'd been a week since the got back from the Underworld, and it was the first time that either Emma or Killian had enough energy to get out the house, or bed, and go on an actual date. Sick of Granny's take out, and ramen noodle soup (or whatever else that could find in the pantry), they had both agreed that it was time to leave the house for a bit. Except when they made this decision, it was already 8pm on a Friday night, and every other restaurant in town was booked, or it was Granny's.

So that's how they found themselves sitting at a corner table at "Esmeralda's Eatery and Pub", trying to avoid too many prying eyes. And you'd think that traveling to the Underworld to save her boyfriend would be the biggest news in that small town, but it wasn't. Actually, it was probably on the list of top ten things that happened in Storybrooke, but apparently the news didn't reach the drunks and incompetents that frequented this 'fine establishment'.

"So pretty momma, you wanna bug out of this place and head to my love shack?" was the first sentiment that Emma received from a stocky looking man who could clearly not hold his liquor.

"I'm on a date here, and I'd appreciate it if you'd just 'bug out'," Emma responded half annoyed, finger quoting the last part of her sentence.

"Ah, I can see that," the man replied, taking another chug of his liquor. "But what does old pretty boy have against me?" He asked, gesturing towards Killian.

Emma reached across the table and placed a calm hand on her boyfriend's shoulder to keep him from doing anything rash or stupid.

"Oh, so much," she mumbled, gesturing the man away with her hand.

"I was so close to socking that guy one in the face," Killian grumbled after the older man had left.

"I know," Emma whispered, taking his hand into hers across the table.

"He deserved it too."

"I know, but the last thing we need is you to end in the sheriff's department for getting into a bar fight with a bunch of drunks."

"You do realize that you're the sheriff, love?" Killian chuckled.

Emma laughed, "I might not throw you in jail, but I think you're forgetting that there's two sheriffs in this town, and I'm still not sure my dad is 100% sold on you."

He gasped in response, "And why would you say that Swan? I mean I'm devilishly handsome-"

"My point exactly."

That's when the second offender showed up.

"Excuse me Miss, but can I buy you a drink?" At least this one was younger, probably mid-30s, and was dressed in a suit and tie, and seemed much more, well, competent. And he was actually fairly attractive and well put together, and let's just say that had this been four or five years ago Emma would've accepted the drink, and maybe a couple more, and seen where the night would take her.

But it wasn't the past, and she was sitting across from her boyfriend, who she, and many other Storybrooke residents believed to be the most attractive man in the world, and she was happy, happier than she had ever been.

"Excuse me, but we're kind of in the middle of a date, so," Emma replied hastily, annoyed with all the interruptions.

"Well, if I may say, you are the most beautiful creature I've had the pleasure to set eyes on."

"And if I may say, this here is my boyfriend," Emma started, pointing at Killian who gave a small wave, "and he and I just wanted to have a nice date, so leave," she finished flatly.

"Okay, but here's my number just in case you change your mind," he winked, handing her a card with his number written on the back of it.

She accepted it with a smile, before ripping it into eight small pieces, and setting it beside her on the table.

The guy left her alone after that.

Emma looked over at her boyfriend who looked slightly angry and red-faced.

She opened her mouth slightly before biting her bottom lip, "If I didn't know better, I'd say that the great Captain Hook is a little bit jealous."

He rolled his eyes before attempting to explain, "I mean can you blame me? I have the most beautiful, intelligent, and kindest girlfriend in the world and I'd prefer not to lose her to some cross-eyed lurker."

"Hey, buddy, I'm not going anywhere," Emma responded, a small smile playing on her lips, "I hope that I proved that with the whole saving you from the Underworld thing."

"I know," Killian started. "It's just that I don't want to lose you, Swan."

"Hey," she said, looking him straight in the eyes. "I love you, and you will never lose me, because I'm a survivor, just like you. And if Hell can't keep us apart, I don't think anything can."

Killian smirked, "I love you too, Swan."

"Now can we please get out of here? These creepy guys who keep staring at me are giving me the heebie-jeebies."

"I think the better question is: why after breaking a curse, defeating countless villains, and being the town's savior for three years, have these people not recognize you?"

"Liquor consumes the soul, Killian. Let's just leave it at that."


	5. The Sweet Stuff

The Sweet Stuff

A/N: After falling in love with DNCE's newest song, 'Cake by the Ocean', I couldn't help but write this baby. And I included both meanings for the term 'cake by the ocean':). I hope you enjoy, this has been my favorite chapter to write so far!

Anon- I saw your review, and that chapter will be next!

As always, please read, review, and send me prompts!

Chapter tags- romance, Captain Swan

* * *

"Emma Swan, tomorrow is your birthday, and we are celebrating, no exceptions."

"Killian-" she responded with an exasperated sigh. "I just want to be with you, that's it. Nothing big."

"Swan," he started, moving over from the other side of the kitchen to sit next to his girlfriend on the stool by her. "That may or may not have worked on your parents, but it most definitely will not work on me."

"Killian," Emma started, before taking a pause when his words finally sunk in. "Did you just say that may or may not have worked? Why would it have not worked? I told my mom that I didn't want to celebrate my birthday, not with everything that's been going on. And she said okay. So why would she lie? She did follow

my request, right?" Emma demanded, standing up to move right in front of her boyfriend so he couldn't avoid eye contact.

He squirmed a little in his seat, starting to get a little fidgety. "Okay, Swan, she may or may not," he paused, "have a big surprise party planned for you." Killian finished, dropping his last words so she wouldn't hear them.

"What?"

"I said she may or may not have done as you pleased," Killian corrected. The surprise party was tonight. Mary-Margaret wanted it to be on Emma's birthday, but Killian knew from experience that birthdays for people like her could be hard, and plus he had his own surprise for her.

"Oh my god! I told her that I just wanted to spend quiet time with my family." Emma replied, crossing her arms in an upset fashion.

"It is the first birthday that your mum will be able to celebrate with you." He responded sweetly. "A princess's birthday back in the Enchanted Forest is a huge deal. Balls, tiaras, big poofy dresses, the entire kingdom there to celebrate. Your lucky your mum didn't do quite that."

"Princess?" Emma questioned, slightly confused and unfamiliar with the term.

"Aye, love. You are the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. You are a princess." Killian smiled, taking Emma's hand into his, and kissing the back of it.

She blushed slightly, and went back to the topic, "I know birthdays are probably a big deal back in the Enchanted Forest, but I'm turning thirty-two years old, I don't need big celebrations."

"I know, love, but your mum never got to experience your childhood birthdays with you, so she wanted to make this one extra special."

Emma smiled, "Okay," she said, feeling an overwhelming amount of love from her family.

"Okay, now that we have that settled, we're going to the loft at 6:30 tonight, don't make any plans for your birthday tomorrow, because I have already made them," Emma rolled her eyes at that, "and right now, I'd really love to kiss you." He finished.

"And I, you," she responded sweetly. Killian pulled her closer to him kissing her with all the love in the world.

* * *

They showed up at the loft around 6:30 that night and Emma put on her best surprised face when her mom opened the door and everyone yelled "surprise!". She actually had a lot of fun, much to her surprise, and she loved spending time with her whole family. And no one was arguing or making a scene, so that was a bonus, and there were no villains to deal with, so that was also a very nice bonus.

They ate catering from Granny's, then everyone sang to her, and they ate red velvet cake, her favorite.

And when they arrived home around 11:45pm Killian distracted her long enough to keep her from going to bed too quickly, even with her complaining about how tired she was.

He disappeared a few minutes before midnight and returned singing "happy birthday", a balloon and a red rose in his hand. Emma was sitting at the kitchen table, her elbow on the wood and her cheek in her hand, her eyes starting to close when Killian returned. She jerked with a start when he began singing.

Despite her dislike for big birthday celebrations, she couldn't help but smile at the singing idiot whom she loved so dearly. He finished his version of the song as he walked up to her, handing her the rose, and setting the balloon beside her.

"It's midnight, love, and it is officially your birthday!" He smiled at her, a look of childlike glee on his face.

"Killian-" she started but stopped herself before she finished her thought. "Oh, what the hell," Emma said before standing up, taking his face in her hands and kissing him with all her might. "Thank you," she whispered when they broke apart for air.

He smiled back at her, "Henry helped me pick out the balloon. I wanted to go with the blue one, but he said that green one with the 'happy birthday' with the heart on it was the better option."

Emma laughed and moved towards the sink; picking out a clear vase she filled it halfway with water and placed the rose in it. She set the flower on the middle of the table, it reminding her of the one he gave her on their first date, the flower that she kept next to her bed for two weeks before her mother through it out, claiming it had lost its beauty, and was starting to smell. She liked having it there, though, it reminded her of the good things in her life that she had to hold onto, that she had to fight for.

"What do you say we head to bed, Swan?" Killian asked, pulling Emma out of her trance. "I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."

Emma looked back at him with a small smile, "Me too. Why don't you head up to bed and I'll be there in a second. I want to do something real quick," she replied.

"Alright," he said, heading off towards the stairs. "But don't be too long, we've got a jam packed day ahead of us."

Emma rolled her eyes, "I'll only be a sec."

Killian disappeared, and she returned to the rose. Being extra careful, she plucked two petals from the rose and placed them in the bottom of the dictionary that was in the cabinet in the living room.

She smiled, satisfied, and went upstairs.

Killian was already in bed when she stepped into the room. She carefully slid off her sweater and jeans, putting on a large t-shirt instead.

"That was fast, love," Killian spoke as she climbed under the covers next to him.

"I know," she whispered. "Goodnight Killian."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his body. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I love you, Emma."

"I love you too."

* * *

Killian woke her up the next morning at 10am, even though he'd already been up for 2 hours, with a kiss on her forehead. She stirred slightly before a small smile formed on her lips.

"Good morning, beautiful" he whispered.

She brought her hands to her eyes to rub them, and paused a moment before speaking.

"Good morning," she responded, opening her eyes and sitting up on the bed. "What time is it?"

Killian looked down at his watch, "10:07 to be exact."

"Really?" Emma asked, sounding surprised. "I don't know the last time I slept in past 8:30."

He laughed, "Well, the savior deserves a day off on her birthday!"

She chuckled.

"Speaking of which, I made breakfast. Except I couldn't quite figure out how to cook the eggs, so I opted to use that crazy waffle contraption you taught me to use." Killian said, sounding baffled by the vocabulary he was picking up on.

"You made waffles?" Emma questioned, sounding excited.

"Yes, love, with extra whipped cream," he responded, emphasizing the 'whipped'.

"I knew I loved you for a reason," she smiled, pulling his face down closer to hers so she could kiss him.

"Well, let's eat then," Killian responded when they broke apart. Emma followed him into the kitchen for what she had to admit were the best waffles of all time.

During the day they went miniature golfing and watched a movie on Netflix, both suggestions from Henry.

And then Killian decided he would give Emma her present.

She took the small package in her hand, and unwrapped the purple paper.

Inside was a small jewelry box, and when she opened it there was a silver necklace with a heart charm. Except this was no ordinary charm, half the heart was made up of a swan's neck, and the other half a hook like Killian's.

Emma gasped, "Oh my god, it's perfect. Where did you- how did you get this?"

"Granny surprisingly has a lot of free time, and when she's not making onion rings she dabbles in jewelry making," he smiled, and Emma gave a quick laugh. "I wanted to get you something that would represent our eternal love, and all I had to do was draw up a design for her."

Emma bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. She reached forward from her seat on the couch and hugged her boyfriend with all her strength. "I love it, and I love you."

Killian helped her put the necklace on, it falling perfectly over the neckline of her light pink sweater.

* * *

They went to dinner at 'Island Italian' that night, and when they finished eating the night was far from over.

Killian took her hand, leading into the cool October air and towards the beach.

"Where are we going?" She asked, a smile forming on her face.

"Well," he said, stopping at the docks and turning to face her. "We had dinner already, but seeing as it is your special day, I'd be daft to say it was complete without cake. And there is only one thing better than cake, and that is eating cake by the ocean," he paused with a hint of dramatic irony that he would never fully understand. "while gazing up at the stars on the Jolly Roger. Honestly, is there anything better than that?"

Emma giggled, placing her hands on his neck, "Absolutely nothing."

Killian gave her a quick peck on the lips before taking her hand once more and leading her onto his ship.

The top deck was covered in rose petals, and there was a small cake on a table, a chair for two next to it with a blanket on top.

"How'd you?" Emma paused, taking in the sight of everything. "When'd you?"

"I may have had some help from an over eager Storybrooke resident while we were at dinner," Killian smirked. "But no matter, love. What do you say we eat cake?"

"Well, I'll never say no to dessert."

Emma walked over to the table, and Killian followed, placing a single candle in the cake, using a match to light it.

"Make a wish Swan,"

And she did. She wished that she could live out her happy ending with her family and this man who she loved so much. And she blew out the candle.

"What'd you wish for?" Killian urged, standing beside her with his arm encircling her shoulder.

"Now if I told you that, it wouldn't come true," she retorted. "And I really want this one to come true, I'm one for one with wishes so far." She smiled back at her boyfriend.

"Well, I'd hate to break your streak," Killian laughed. "What do you say we eat?"

He cut them each a piece, and they sat down on the chair, huddled together under the blanket, eating cake by the ocean, and gazing up the the clear sky dotted with stars. The waves from the ocean crashed on the shore, a soothing sound.

And they finished the cake, and Emma licked the rest of the frosting off her fingers, and Killian would be lying if he said it didn't turn him on a little bit.

And Emma would be lying if she said that eating actual dessert was making her crave something a little sweeter, and a little more fulfilling.

So she set her plate down on the floor next to her, and she sat up slightly from her position resting against Killian's chest, and she turned around and kissed him. And he kissed back, hard.

And they kept kissing until they had to break away for air.

"Everything alright, Swan?" Killian asked.

"Everything is perfect," she smiled, leaning her forehead against his, her breath ghosting his lips. "All I want to do is kiss you right now."

"Well, I'm not going to argue with that," he responded, leaning in to kiss her once more.

Things started to get more heated, and Emma shifted her position so she was straddling Killian, sitting on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she buried one hand in his hair, the other around his neck. And she kissed him with all her might, her heart rate starting to speed up. And that's when she made a decision.

"What do you say we take this downstairs into the Captain's quarters?" Emma whispered when they broke apart.

"Are you sure love?" He asked incredulously.

"I've never been more positive of anything in my entire life."

Emma jumped up, acting like a giddy schoolgirl, and took Killian's hand, leading him down the set of stairs that led to the room with the bed in it.

And they barely got down the stairs when he couldn't fight his urges anymore, and he started kissing her again, pressing her up against the side wall of the cabin.

And his lips found her neck, pressing hungry kisses to her skin, and she couldn't help but let out a small moan.

Killian pinned her arms against the wall, as his lips started moving lower and lower, past her cleavage, and down towards her sweater. And he lifted up the material of her sweater and began placing kisses on her stomach.

And then he started working his way lower, and the next thing she knew her jeans were lying on the ground, and then his jacket and shirt next, her sweater, his pants, and the rest of the clothing.

And that night, when all their fun was done, they laid there, the only covering been the thin sheet on the bed. And Emma snuggled into Killian's body to keep warm. And he kissed her goodnight, and they both fell asleep immediately, exhausted.

After having both her sweet cravings satisfied and after a most perfect day, Emma would have to admit that it was most definitely her best and favorite birthday ever. It was most definitely one she would never forget.

* * *

A/N: Thanks again for reading! If you enjoyed, please review! I love reading messages from you guys, they really make my day!

Just a note: The rose petals that Emma saved in the beginning of the story will come back into play in a later chapter, so stay tuned!


	6. Home (Part One)

Five Times Emma and Killian Found Home (Part One)

A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, but I was busy with my finals all last week, and this weekend I travelled 700 miles up the coast for my cousin's wedding I had no time to write. Anyways, it's a shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoy! It's based off of the song "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as requested by the anonymous reviewer. I'm going to make probably make four or five more parts to this chapter in the future so stay tuned! As always please read, request, and review, they feed my muse.

Chapter tags: Captain Swan, Romance, Post Underworld

Next up: Valentine's Dinner as requested by Guest

* * *

"Do you ever miss it?" Emma asked, her head on Killian's chest, her eyes closed. It was just past 10:30 and both were exhausted as they spent all day painting the deck outside of their new house.

"Miss what, love?" He questioned, stroking her golden locks with his hand. Emma's head rose and fell with the rhythm of his chest, creating a feeling of peace and happiness deep within her. She had never felt so relaxed before.

Her eyes remained closed as she responded, "Your old life. Living in the Jolly Roger, sailing the seas seven days a week. Do you ever miss being a pirate?"

Killian smiled, and gave the question a couple seconds of thought before he responded. "No," he said plainly. "I used to, there's something freeing about sailing a ship," he paused, remembering the fond memories. "But I was a villain then, a villain who's only goal was to kill a man. So no, I don't miss it anymore," He finished.

"But do you ever wish you could have one more day of your old life?" She asked, the late night inquiries getting to her. It felt weird being able to talk to someone so openly, to put her trust in someone, to be genuinely curious about another, but it was a feeling she enjoyed. She loved spending every moment she could with the man she loves, she loved getting to know every little thing about him.

"No, and especially not if it meant I'd be wasting a day I could be spending with you," Emma smiled, her hand running circles on his chest.

"But the Jolly Roger was your home at one point,"

"Aye, love, it was. And quite bad one at that. Cramped quarters, uncomfortable bed, smelly cabins," She chuckled in response. "But I found my real home now, and it's with you."

Emma blushed slightly and moved over so she could lie on her side and face him. Killian shifted on to his side too, cupping her cheek in his hand.

"Your love saved me, your love made me the man I am today, and I would never want to go back to the man I used to be." He said softly.

"It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're together. Home is where we're together," Emma whispered, finishing his thought for him.

"Aye, love, home is where we're together," Killian agreed, leaning in to kiss her. She kissed him back, a small smile on her lips.

When they broke apart she let him pull her into his arms, their bodies close enough to share heat, their hearts beating as one. Emma closed her eyes and fell asleep shortly after, her breath evening out into a peaceful hum.

Killian lay awake for several minutes, taking in the moment, enjoying every second his Swan was in his arms.

It was everything he ever wanted.

It was home.


	7. Untraditionally Traditional

Untraditionally Traditional

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this, but I've been horribly busy with my classes at the start of the new semester, and a mini case of writer's block did not help my muse! Anyways, I wanted to get this posted on Valentine's Day, so I hope you enjoy some cheesy romance!

Summary: Valentine's Day dinner

Tags: Romance, Captain Swan

Here's to all of you who have found love, and here's to everyone else who spends their time obsessing over fictional characters!

I love you all!

* * *

Mary-Margaret gasped in indignation as the whole diner fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"What do you mean you're not doing anything special for my daughter on Valentine's Day?" She questioned the pirate. He shifted awkwardly, looking down at his crossed arms, as he stood next to her seat by the food counter at Granny's. Killian felt about twenty heavy gazes from dwarves, fairies, and even Granny herself fall upon him. Seriously, is this the only place fairytale characters come to eat?

Honestly he didn't know what the big deal was anyways, Emma told him that holidays in this realm were dumb, and if he remembered right she said that this particular holiday was "a crappy excuse for greeting card companies to make money by pressuring everyone into relationships they didn't want to really be in", whatever that was supposed to mean.

But right now, as he was being stared down by what felt like the entire town, he knew that he had done something wrong. After all, what a woman says is not usually what she means, something Killian had leaned over and over again.

"I-I-I don't know... Swan, Emma told me that this holiday was dumb," he stumbled over his words, his eyes still on his arms.

"Of course she did, pirate," Mary-Margaret responded, hitting Killian in the chest. He looked up. "Every woman hates this holiday, and makes claims of its corniness and stupidity when she's alone. But until she's gotten to experience it with someone special in her life, the holiday doesn't mean anything."

"Oh," Killian mumbled, suddenly feeling a wave of embarrassment. He just wasn't quite used to the twenty-first century customs yet.

"You're that special someone in her life now, and you need to step up your game," she finished.

David looked horrified in the seat next to his wife, holding his son. "I just want to go on record saying that I in no way want to have any part in your plans with my daughter tonight, but yeah, you do need to figure something out. Trust me." He finished, emphasizing the last two worlds as if he was alluding to some past traumatic Valentine's Day experience.

"Okay, mate," Killian responded, unable to hide the knowing smirk on his lips. He was still trying to take all of the situation in, and it was a lot to be thrown at him so suddenly. "It's already 11 though. How am I supposed to plan something for tonight? What are the customs of this holiday? What am supposed to get her? What is acceptable?" He questioned, starting to feel overwhelmed once everything started to sink in.

"First of all, relax," Mary-Margaret stated, placing a hand on his arm. "All you need to do is take her to dinner or make a nice dinner for her tonight and get her flowers or something."

"Okay," he replied, scratching his hair with his hook. "Only one problem, I can't cook."

"Well, now zero problems!" She huffed in an excited tone. "Because I am a great cook, and I'm going to help you plan a great date for my daughter!"

David sighed, "Well, I want no part in this, so I'll take Neal to the park while you help him out," he said, standing up from his chair to place a kiss on his wife's lips. "Love you," he whispered.

"Love you both," Mary-Margaret smiled as her husband placed the baby in the stroller and headed out into the open air.

"Well, we've got no time to waste!" She called as she started towards the door.

"Oh boy-"

* * *

Killian's heart raced as he finished preparing for the dinner by putting the roses in the vase on the kitchen table.

He had just gotten back home from one of the more apprehensive and nerve-wracking trips he had taken to the loft, but now he couldn't help but get excited. Everything was going to be perfect, he had followed all the customs; he made sure not to miss a single detail.

Back in the Enchanted Forest taking the last step was a huge deal, something Killian unfortunately never got to experience, but now he wanted to do everything right. And his mind had been made up for a long time, it was just a matter of finding the perfect moment, and tonight felt right.

Checking his watch, Killian deducted that he had approximately four minutes before his Swan arrived home. And he knew he shouldn't be nervous, I mean they'd had been living together for a couple months now, dating for over a year, and had literally been through hell together and made it out alive, but he couldn't stop his racing heart.

Tonight was going to be perfect. He knew it was going to be perfect, I mean anytime Killian was with his love was perfect, but tonight was going to be extra special.

"Killian?" Emma called, as the front door opened quietly and shut with a familiar creak.

5:48, on the dot.

"In here, love," he responded, his breath hitching in his throat.

Emma walked into the kitchen, and her eyes lit up when she saw her boyfriend and the beautiful display before her.

"Woah," was the only word she could manage. The table was set with a red cloth over it, there were two candles lit, and a vase of red roses in between the candles. And the kitchen smelled delightful.

Killian strode over to her, unable to hide the smile pulling at his lips.

"This is beautiful," she said, still aghast.

"Happy Valentine's Day, love!" He smiled, his voice filled with glee. He leaned forward, kissing Emma with all the passion and excitement he could muster.

She broke away after several seconds, leaning back. "I thought we said no celebrations, that holidays in this world were dumb. How did you even know about today?"

"Love, don't be silly. You know I know everything," he stated in a matter of fact tone. He brushed a strand of her loose hair behind her ear.

"Oh really?" Emma scoffed. "How do you work the talking box in the living room?" She asked in a joking manner.

"Okay, so maybe I don't know everything, and maybe I have some informants who helped me set this up but-" he paused mid sentence to pull her hips forward in to another kiss.

Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered into his ear, "Fair enough."

* * *

Emma and Killian ate dinner, laughing, talking about the history of the holiday, and Emma stating that this was the first year for both of them in celebrating. This was something new for both of them, a tradition that they could make their own, a place to start over, to start new.

And that's when Killian knew that the perfect moment had arrived. His heart started racing again as he waited for the perfect quiet moment to reach in to his pocket and pull out a small black velvet box.

He knelt down on one knee, as Emma covered her mouth in utter surprise.

"Emma Swan, my princess, I've been around the world one hundred times, but I didn't realize that my heart was just guiding me through a series of ordinary moments, that is until the day I met you. My heart skips a beat every time I see you, every time I think about how lucky I am to have found my true love, my happy ending, the woman who sacrificed everything to save me," Emma made a muffled sniffling nose as the tears stung her eyes, her heart racing in excitement. Time seemed to stop as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes never leaving his. "I can't imagine, I never want to spend another day without you by my side," he stumbled slightly, water building up in his eyes. Gods, he never thought he'd be this much of a romantic, but true love changes everything. "So my love, would you do me the honor of taking me as your husband?"

Emma let out a small squeal of joy as she whispered a "yes," followed by another, louder "yes, yes!"

Killian stood up, taking her into his arms, lifting her off the ground in pure joy. She let the tears fall from her eyes, she let the huge smile plaster against her features, and she let herself soak in the adrenaline of the moment.

When Killian set her down, he pulled the ring from the box, gently sliding it onto her left hand. He let his eyes run over, and let out a chuckle.

"Gods I love you so much!"

Emma flung her arms around his neck once more, "I love you too," she sniffled, taking in every single detail from this moment.

Maybe neither of them got to experience the love one feels on a holiday like this when they were young. Maybe Emma and Killian had considered themselves lost and alone for so many years. But right there in that moment, in this new tradition, in this brand new anniversary that they had created, they finally felt whole.

Two halves beating as one, forever in sync.

* * *

A/N: Extra hugs and kisses to you all today.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo


	8. Hold on to Me

Hold on to Me

A/N: Hello friends! I've had a crazy week! My cousin gave birth to an adorable little girl just few days ago, and the story of her birth is just insane! I felt like I needed to write this, and honor my cousin who is crazy and honestly one of the strongest women I've ever met. Keep in mind that I'm basing this completely off of the real story, and I know it's gonna sound crazy, but it's totally all true and just so amazing!

Summary: Emma gives birth to hers and Killian's first child.

Tags: Romance, fluff, Family, Captain Swan

Warnings: The miracle of birth is scary and gross. I've kept this pretty clean (pg-13), but you've been warned.

* * *

"Ah… ow!" Emma muttered, grabbing on to the bed post with one hand and her stomach with the other. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. It was past midnight and that was her third contraction she had in the last half hour.

Slowly she walked out of her room and towards the stairs.

"Killian?" Emma called.

"Yes, love?" He responded quickly, and she could hear his quick footsteps towards the bottom of the staircase. The baby was due in two days, and Killian had been at her every beck and call since the Braxton-hicks contractions she experienced about a week ago. He appeared into view a few seconds later.

"I'm having contractions again, but they're not bad," He rushed up the stairs towards her. "I think they might be Braxton-hicks again," she murmured, sounding annoyed.

"Do you want to go to the hospital yet?" He asked, placing his hand over her now extremely large baby bump.

"No, not yet. I don't want to waste another day at the hospital if the baby isn't even coming," Emma replied, leaning back onto the railing. "I think I'm gonna take a nap, I suddenly feel extremely tired and also have the uncontrollable urge to cry and pee."

Killian gave a short laugh. "Are you okay up here? I just need to finish a few things up for work, they're planning on remodeling the docks, and we have to find some sort of contractor."

Emma smiled, "Look at my 21st century man," she leaned in, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "I'm okay."

"Alright, I'll be up in half an hour to an hour. Scream for me if you need anything," Killian gave her hand a squeeze. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Emma walked back to their room and collapsed onto the bed. She bit her lip through one more short wave of pain before letting her body succumb to sleep.

* * *

It as only thirty minutes before a worse pain came, originating from Emma's back and traveling all the way down her stomach, startling her awake.

"Shit!" Emma cursed, pushing herself into a sitting position once the pain slowed down. She stood up slowly, walking away from the bed.

"Killian!"she yelled as loud as she could. "We need to go now!"

An uncontrollable urge to pee overcame heroics again, and Emma rushed to the bathroom, sitting down on the toilet. That's when the next contraction hit, her worst one yet.

"Shit!" She yelled louder, when all of the sudden she felt he baby coming, right there, in her bathroom, and there was no way to stop it.

Adrenaline coursing through her body, she stood up as best as she could, positioning herself to get ready for the baby. Pulling her pants down as best she could, Emma semi-squatted, semi-stood up, reaching down below her legs.

The pain got worse, and she could feel the baby coming out. And just seconds later the shoulders slid through along with the rest of its body, and in a blur of moments Emma found herself holding on to a small, bloody baby, pulling it up towards her.

Her body shook, her legs barely able to support her, and it felt like she was floating. Probably just the adrenaline, but the whole moment felt so surreal and Emma could have sworn that this wasn't really happening. It shouldn't have happened this quick. It should of hurt more. She should be in the hospital with her husband by her side, telling her to push.

And then there was a cry, a small sharp cry, and Emma couldn't tell if it was hers or the baby's, but she held on to the little one for dear life, still attached, her arms shaking violently.

Killian came rushing up then. Emma could hear the loud footsteps somewhere in the near distance in her head. She could hear his words but it felt like he was far away.

"Emma!" He called. Killian rounded the corner to the bathroom, and upon seeing Emma he rushed up beside her, trying to comprehend the severity of the scene playing out before his very eyes. "Oh my god! What happened? Are you okay?"

She could feel his hand on her arm, guiding her to sit down, and she obliged. Tears streaming down her face, her body shaking, she whispered in a scared voice, "Is she okay?" By the panicked look on Killian's face, she looked down at her baby. "Oh my god, is she breathing?"

A stiff moment of silence seemed to last five lifetimes before Emma heard a shape cry, and saw her baby's face scrunch up.

She let out a sigh of relief that seemed to fill the whole room. Killian mirrored her, giving a small laugh of relief, his own tears coming down is streaks against his face. He held out a hand, touching his baby girl's beautiful fingers.

* * *

Killian called 911, and the paramedics arrived in no time. Emma held on to the little one tight, as he helped her stand up and tie a towel around her waist. The paramedics cut the cord, and took the baby to get her cleaned up, and in a blur they were in the ambulance, heading towards the hospital.

Killian called Emma's parents on the way there, and gave them the short synopsis of what happened, and they met them at the hospital.

Everything that happened from the ambulance to getting into a room went buy in almost a dream state, an effect from the amount of adrenaline coursing in their veins, and the next thing they knew Emma was lying in a hospital bed, telling Killian to go with the baby, when they took it away for tests, to make sure she was all right.

And then her parents showed up, showering her with hugs and kisses, and asking her how she felt.

"Tired."

"Well, are you in pain?" Mary-Margaret questioned her.

"No, not really," Emma responded. With a small smile she added, "just a little sore."

Just then Killian returned, a doctor behind him, holding the small bundle of joy in her arms, wrapped up in a pink blanket, a small white cap covering her head.

And Emma's first thought in that moment was "oh my god, she's okay, she's perfect," And her second, "thank God it's not Dr. Frankenstein holding my little girl", and then her third one, "thank god I didn't have Dr. Frankenstein down in the southern region delivering my baby".

Killian had a warm smile on his face.

"She's perfect, a completely heathy beautiful little girl," the doctor told her, placing the baby gently into Emma's arms. Emma could feel the tears stinging the back of her eyes once again, and despite her normal closed off exterior, she let them fall. She let them fall, because holding the sweet little baby in her arms reminded her of how lucky she was, of the good still left in the world. She had a lifetime ahead of her, a lifetime to spend with her husband, her son, her parents, and now this perfect little girl. And God, she was just so thankful that the tears that fell down her cheeks were tears of pure joy and happiness; she would never let go, no doctor or villain would ever take this kid from her arms.

Emma looked over to her husband who was right by her side, playing with the baby's fingers, a look of undeniable love on his face, and tears of joy rolling down his face too. And her mother, standing on her other side, smiling down at her granddaughter, tears rolling down her face. And finally, her father, right next to her mother, blinking back tears.

"She's so beautiful," her mother spoke quietly, wiping the tears with the back of her hand. "What's her name?"

"Isabella."

"Isabella," Killian repeated.

* * *

A/N: Gosh, my cousin is so badass! We've taken to calling her Xena Warrior princess! I hope you enjoyed, I just wanted to share this crazy story, and honor my cousin!

Please review and send me prompts!


	9. Fleeting Moments

Fleeting Moments

This story is set right after 5x21, so yeah, there's lots of spoilers! I'm exercising my creative right to alter canon dialogue from scenes to my liking. Please don't heckle me for getting a line wrong, because if I changed something, I did it on purpose:)

Anyways, sorry it's been too long, but I hope you enjoy!

Summary: Emma finds herself missing Killian, and talking to his grave.

Tags: Captain Swan, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: I said it once, but I'll repeat myself- read at your own risk, there are spoilers up to 5x21.

* * *

Emma looked down at the dark stone with only two words scratched into it, his name. Killian Jones. Her Killian Jones. It should have said Killian Jones- lover, fighter, survivor, friend. There were millions of words she could use to describe him, but in the moment when she forced herself to look at the gravestone, Emma was glad she could keep all those wonderful things to herself. It gave her something to hold on to, shattered pieces of him that were solely hers.

Suddenly, Emma felt her legs go wobbly, and her knees ceased supporting her weight. She fell to the soft ground, and stared blankly at the gravestone, the water building in her eyes.

 _No, Emma, you have to focus! There's a god on the loose and you're the savior. It's your job to stop him. You have to stop him. There's no time for your tears or your pain; put on your armor._

Emma picked at a piece of grass, biting her bottom lip to keep the tears from spilling out. There was no time for her sadness; Emma had convinced herself that it only held her back. Inhaling deeply and closing her eyes, she picked one leg off from the ground, then the other. She blinked away the excess water from her eyes as a fire ignited in her soul.

 _Do it for Killian._

* * *

With the god of the underworld still on the loose and only a few hours having passed, Emma found herself standing at the gravestone once again. She was frustrated with her search for answers, and standing by Killian's stone, as close to him as she could get, gave her feel a strange sense of comfort, even if her tears told otherwise.

"I wish you were here," she whispered, crouching down next to his name. "God, if you were here right now, you would know what to do," Emma gave a slight chuckle and wiped away the tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. She talked to the grave as if it was really him, standing right in front of her, having an everyday conversation with her.

"Damn, I'm being so selfish. And right now everybody thinks I'm weak and I can't handle fighting Hades and that I'm emotional. And guess what?" Emma through her hands up into the air. "I am emotional. I don't know how to say goodbye, and I don't know how to deal with death." The tears began running at a rapid rate down her face, and Emma began to choke on her words, small screeching sounds coming out instead.

"You told me not to build my walls back up… its so hard without you here," she paused, sniffling to try to stop herself from crying.

"I know you haven't moved on," Emma sighed. "Please move on. Don't let me be the one keeping you down there; you deserve more… I will defeat Hades, and you will go on to a better place," she could feel the fire in her soul begin to rise again. "Killian if you can hear me, please don't let me be your unfinished business," she repeated her words from the underworld. It was a long-shot. Emma knew Killian couldn't hear her, she knew it in her mind, but in her heart she felt a complicated connection with him, like he could understand her every thought no matter where he was.

After a long moment, Emma stood up, wiping away the excess tears from her face. She remembered the cool metal in her hand, "I thought you might like this more than roses," she chuckled, smiling at the nice display of flowers set next to his grave from family and friends. Emma set the empty flask down next to the stone, and turned to walk away. She swallowed hard, not allowing any more emotions to seep through the surface. She had to be strong, for Killian, for her family, for the town.

* * *

"Hades- he's gone," Emma choked on her smile, as she stood uneasily before the grave for the third time that day. A quick silence took hold of the moment as tragic memories of saying goodbye to Killian, of Robin's death, and of the funerals engulfed her mind. There was too much loss, not enough time.

"Move on, we're safe now," Emma whispered into the air. "You deserve to be happy, everyone in this town deserves to be happy. And I will be; I'll keep my armour off because that's my only path to happiness," she smiled, trying to convince herself of this.

"Goddammit, I wish you were here. It'd be so much easier if you were here," Emma crossed her arms, hugging her black coat tight around her and struggling to keep herself composed. She stood there, her feet locked to the ground, refusing to leave.

"Swan?" Emma could have sworn she was dreaming, or hallucinating, or maybe both, but a distinct voice beckoned her.

 _It can't be him. You're tired; you're just imagining things because you wish he was here. Don't give in, don't give in, dammit._

Reluctantly, Emma turned in the direction of the voice and there he was. Killian, her Killian, decked in leather, and looking slightly disheveled, but nonetheless standing right in front of her.

"Oh my god," she breathed, taking steps toward him. Emma had to see if he was real; if she could only touch him, hold him in her arms, she would know she wasn't dreaming.

The emotional blonde ran towards him, engulfing him in a hug. She wasn't hallucinating. She could touch him, and hold him. He was warm, steady, and 100% real.

Emma felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she cupped his face, bringing him in for a long kiss.

"How… How did you-"

"Zeus said he was sending me where I belong, he must have sent me here-"

"I mean what?"

"Zeus, you know, ruler of the Olympians-"

"Oh, I don't care, I don't care as long as you're here," Emma smiled, attacking Killian's face with kisses. He gave a warm chuckle in a surprised response. Killian had never seen a smile so large in his life; the elation the pair felt standing in their true love's arms was tangible.

"Aye love," he whispered back, pulling Emma in for another hug, holding her as close to his body as he could.

They stood there, unaware of time, wrapped in their embrace, and taking in the moment for as long as they could. Emma had never felt so genuinely happy in her life.

"And the others- they all made it back, made it through the fight alright?" Killian finally asked.

"Not everyone," Emma bit her lip, looking down at the ground to try to keep herself together. It had been a long day, a long three months, and standing in Killian's arms, she finally allowed herself to be vulnerable. Emma looked up into his worried eyes and broke. "Robin," she croaked.

A sadness fell over the brisk night air, weighing deeply on their hearts. Killian pulled Emma closer, both feeling the horrible loss of a good, true friend. A friend who would never see the sun again, never marry the woman he loves, never see his son and his daughter grow up. It wasn't fair. He was a good man. He deserved to live out the rest of his life. He deserved to be happy.

"Life's not fair," Killian mumbled. Tears stung his eyes as he pressed his face closer to Emma's. "Every moment is so important. We have to treasure every moment because life is fleeting." The water fell down his face, as he too stopped trying to fight it.

"We never know which'll be our last," Emma finished his thought in a small voice.

Robin was gone, everything had changed, and life felt like a swirling mess. But here they stood now, falling apart in each other's arms, their hearts beating as one, promising to never let the other go.

Hold on to the ones you love and never let go.

* * *

Thanks for all the reviews- they're all so sweet and they're what keeps me coming back to write and post. I'm sorry it's been so long- I really have no excuses besides school and homework and just craziness! Thank goodness for summer, am I right? I promise I'm going to post a lot this summer because honestly I have too much time on my hands, and too many feels in my mind!

Hope you enjoyed- please review and send requests!


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